Basket display rack



Feb. 28, 1939. c GREGORY 2,148,548

BASKET DISPLAY RACK Original Filed March 25, 1956 h 2 Turf.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 28,1939 H I a i ,UNITEDLSTATES PATENT OFFICEBASKET DISPLAY RACK- George 0. Gregory, Lansing, Mich., assignor toDallas D. Jones, Gregory, Mich.

Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,783 Renewed July 13, 1938 6Claims. 211-85) This invention relates to improvements in bas- In thedrawing, reference numeral l indicates ket display racks. my improveddisplay device consisting of a pair The main objects of my inventionare: of standards formed by pairs of legs 2, 3 piv- First, to provideanall metal collapsible disotally connected at 4 and adapted to support a5 play rack suitable for advantageously displaypair of basket holders orcradles. The basket 5 ing the contents of bushel; or other baskets.holders are pivoted between the standards at the Second, to provide adisplay rack of the type pivot points 4 and l, as shown in the drawing.described, characterized by the rigidity of its con- Braces or crosspieces 8 serve to rigidly connect 'str'uction in erected position. I thestandards at the rear of the device, the cross 19 Third, to provide adisplay rack of the type pieces being in crossed relation and connected1 described, which is easily and quickly collapsed to the legs 2 asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each for transportation or storage andeasily and of the legs 3 is provided with a pivoted link 9 quicklyerected when occasion demands. which is adapted to engage a leg 2 at itsfree Fourth, to provide a display rack of the type end for the purposeof holding the legs in erected described, which is characterized by itsextreme position. l5 simplicity of construction, yet which also pos- Thebasket holders of my invention each comsesses ample sturdinessfor thepurpose for which prise acircular top band or hoop 5 having crossed itis designed. U -shaped bottom straps 6 secured thereto by riv- Fifth, toprovide a rack of the type described, ets or otherwise, the straps beingthemselves which is adapted to display merchandise ina preferablyriveted together at their crossing 20 I plurality of positionsaccording, to the exigencies point at the bottom of the holder. I haveillusof space. trated the holders as being circular for the re- Otherobjects relating to details'and economies ception of round baskets, asshown in Fig. 2, of my invention will definitely appear fromthe however,it will be obvious that the holders may 5 description to follow. Theinvention is defined be formed in any shape desirable. 25 in the claims.For the purpose of fixedly maintaining the Preferred embodiments of myinvention are basket holders in relation to one another and toillustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereprevent tilting on theirpivots when loaded, I sein: I cure a strap ill to one of the hoops 5 bymeans Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the of a rivet or screwmeans, and the strap is redisplay rack of my invention in erectedposition leasably secured to the lower or other holder by and'ready toreceive filled baskets for display means of a nut and bolt connectionll. Accordpurposes. ingly, in erected position, the holders will be heldFig. 2 is a vertical section illustrating the arin inclined steppedrelation as illustrated in Figs. rangement of the parts in erectedposition and 1 and 2 and the baskets therein will be eifec- 35 carryingfilled baskets shown in dotted lines. tively presented for inspection bya purchaser Fig. 3 is a side view ofmy device in collapsed and will beaccessible, while at the same time position ready for transportation orstorage. floor space will be conserved to a maximum ex- Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a modification of tent. 40 my display rack, an alternateposition of the. de- When it is desired to collapse the display rack 40vice being illustrated in dotted lines. for storage or shippingpurposes, this may be The desirability from a merchandisingstandaccomplished by merely disengaging strap H] point of exhibitinggoods to consumers attracfrom the lower holder 5 and unhooking thepivtively while at the same time conserving all posoted hooked links 9,whereupon the device may sible floor space is well recognized. However,be folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 45 there are variousfactors determining the choice into compact form for shipping orstorage. of a display device for so exhibiting goods, name- In Fig. 4, Iillustrate a modification which ly, style, strength, efficiency,convenience, and makes possible the display of goods in either cost. Thedevice of my invention recommends horizontal relation, as shown in fulllines in that itself in all of these particulars, having good apfigure,or in inclined stepped relation, as illus- 50 pearance and strengthwhile conserving floor trated in dotted lines. The construction of Fig.space and being readily set up and collapsed. 4 includes pairs ofparallel legs l2, I3 pivotally The display rack of my invention mayfurther connected at l4, IE to parallel horizontal side be produced atsmall cost and is cheaper than members I6, the basket holders ll, l8being likea similar display built of wood. wise pivoted at points I 4,I5. The rack is main- 55 tained rigidly in erected position with theholders in horizontal arrangement by means of wire brace members 19, 20which coact with the legs and side members to brace the structure.

In order to make possible the display of baskets held by the rack ininclined stepped relation, I provide legs I2 and IS with suitableapertures 21 22 adapted to be brought in registry and connected bysuitable means such as a bolt or pin. as illustrated in dotted lines inFig. 4. In such position of the parts, a strap I is employed in themanner described with respect to the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 3 to lockthe holders. in fixed stepped relation. In order to lock the holders inhorizontal relation, a U-shaped angle member 23 is employed, beingsuitably releasably connected to both of the basket holders. The rackillustrated in Fig. 4 is collapsible to compact form for shipping orstorage in the same manner as the first embodiment.

The device of my invention is designed to make an outstanding displaywhere it is necessary to conserve floor space. It is furthercharacterized by its strength and durability even when made 3.? of quitelight gauge material. The legs are preferably of three-quarter inchangle iron and the hoops and bottom straps are of heavy gauge rustproofsheet or strap metal, and the device is well braced from every angle.

I have shown and described my rack in an adaptation which is designed tohold two baskets. However, it will be obvious that it may with equalfacility be designed to accommodate a larger number of baskets. The rackof my invention is characterized by the economy of floor space which iteffects; by the fact that it more advantageously displays the contentsof baskets by tilting the baskets; by the fact that it raises thebaskets off the floor, thereby facilitating cleaning under the baskets;and by the fact that it is easily shiited from one location to anotherand readily collapsed for storage and shipping to consume a minimum ofstorage space. The rack of my invention is further capable of being verycheaply produced owing to the simplicity of its design.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in certain embodimentswhich I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myimprovements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a basket display rack, a pair of supports each comprising legspivotally connected and having a detachable link to rigidly maintain thelegs in erected position, means connecting said supports, a basketholder pivoted between said supports at the pivot points of said legs, asecond basket holder pivoted between said supports in spaced relation tosaid first holder, said holders comprising a hoop and bottom membersfixedly connected tosaid hoop, and means extending between said hoopsand connected to both thereof for joining said holders in fixed erecteddisplay position relative to one another.

2. In a basket display rack, a pair of supports each comprising legspivotally connected and having means to rigidly maintain the legs inerected position, a basket holder pivoted between said supports at thepivot points of said legs, a second basket holder pivoted between saidsupports in spaced relation to said first holder, said holderscomprising a hoop and bottom members fixedly connected to said hoop, andmeans joining said holders in fixed erected display position relative toone another, comprising a strap carried by one of said holders and meansreleasably securing the strap to the other holder.

3. In a basket display rack, a pair of supports each comprising legspivotally connected and having means to rigidly maintain the legs inerected position, a basket holder pivoted between said supports, asecond basket holder pivoted between said supports in spaced relation tosaid first holder, said holders comprising a hoop and bottom membersfixedly connected to said hoop, and means releasably connecting thehoops of adjacent holders for joining said holders in fixed erecteddisplay position relative to one another, comprising a separate strapfor each pair of adjacent holders, said strap being disposed between theholders of each pair to connect the same and being releasably secured toat least one thereof.

4. In a display rack, a pair of supports each comprising pairs of legspivotally connected and having a detachable link to maintain the legs inerected position, a holder pivotally mounted between said supports atthe pivot points of said legs, a second holder pivotally mounted betweensaid supports in spaced relation to said first holder, means joiningsaid holders in fixed erected display position, comprising a strapcarried by one of said holders and means releasably securing the strapto the other holder in erected position, release of said link and strapallowing said holder to be folded into collapsed position.

5. In a display rack, a pair of supports each comprising pairs of legspivotally connected, a holder pivotally mounted between said supports, asecond holder pivotally mounted between said supports in spaced relationto said first holder, means joining said holders in fixed erecteddisplay position, comprising a separate strap for each pair of adjacentholders carried by one of said holders and means releasably securing thestrap to the other holder in erected position.

6. In a display rack, a plurality of container holders, each holderhaving a basket supporting hoop, means supporting said holders, saidholders. being shiftable alternatively into parallel or into angularlystepped relation, and means for releasably securing said holders instepped relation, comprising a strap for each pair of adjacent holders,said strap extending transversely of the plane of said hoops and beingsecured to adjacent portions of adjacent hoops, said strap beingreleasably secured to at least one of said hoops.

GEORGE C. GREGORY.

